Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Logo is a visual identity that represents a business in the market. The dictionary meaning of logo design is a symbol, sign or emblem. Businesses use distinctive symbols and typefaces to create a logo that represents their business. But, is it apt to build the corporate identity of the brand? Well it is not. Usually people do not understand the difference between visual identity and corporate identity and use them interchangeably.

Corporate identity is the image built through consumer experience. A consumer goes through a complete cycle to consume your products or services. During this process, he/she interacts with your brand and develops a perception. This perception builds your corporate identity. Logo is a mark that is used to identify a brand in the sea of various other businesses.

Logo acts as the name of the person whereas the corporate identity entails the description of the organization. It contains the products, vision, values, and goals of the brand. The logo is only a symbolic representation of the corporate identity.

The logo creates a recognizable and identifiable image of the company whereas the corporate identity tends to develop user experience and brand positioning. Logo is just a badge of the company while the corporate identity is the whole experience that the consumer will go through to understand what brand stands for.

The logo uses the color, layout, and text in an intelligent way to develop the visual identity of the brand however; corporate identity is a combination of various marketing strategies and tools that develop the brand image.

A logo creates a visual image of the brand that needs to be consistent with the corporate identity. Logo creates a recognizable identity of the brand and increases the brand recall. It also helps the consumer to connect with the company and understand the values of the company. It can also build global understanding as images hold same message to people speaking different languages and do not need translation.

A logo contains the core message of the organization but a corporate identity is a fusion of various key messages that affects the purchasing decision of the consumers. A favorable brand image will develop brand loyalty whereas a good logo will result in brand recognition.

Logo is a single element that represents the organization but corporate identity includes elements such as corporate colors, logo design, corporate culture, marketing, collateral, and stationery that communicate the brand message.

This makes corporate identity an umbrella of which logo is a part. It is the most important element of corporate identity because through logo, consumers identify a brand. It gives a recognizable and memorable identity to the company.